Theft damage repair - Help Needed

[earthling]

Hello there.

I got into my E34 last night to find that thieves has stolen my instrument panel (Amongst other things) If I were to buy a used panel and fitted it what would happen to the mileage record? Would the mileage come up from the car it had been taken from - would the mileage be zero? Does anyone know of any problems I might encounter - or is the car now an insurance write off and not worth fixing. I do hope not as it is a trusted friend I would hate to see the end of. Any help would be most appreciated.

thanks

Adam Koronka

P.S. If one of you out there is the person who broke into my car in Barnes west London then I hope you feel ashamed when you watch that 'Restore an MG' DVD you took form the back seat. And, the Police found finger prints so watch your step - sonny.

[Qube]

Instrument panel? I have a spare clusterboard, but not the display panel...

[Ferret]

Er, how the hell did they steal your dash cluster?

They must have been pretty determined to go after that - after all you can get one from a scrap yard for a tenner!

Iirc it depends on the age of the vehicle - you'll have to try it - the user shogun on here will probably have some handy tips.

[earthling]

Thanks Ferret - they did it with surgical precision - I can't believe they went to all that trouble and risked their liberty for something so cheap -

thanks for your reply

A




Er, how the hell did they steal your dash cluster?

They must have been pretty determined to go after that - after all you can get one from a scrap yard for a tenner!

Iirc it depends on the age of the vehicle - you'll have to try it - the user shogun on here will probably have some handy tips.

[earthling]

Thanks - I will check if it is viable to do then will get back to you

Thanks

A

[whiskychaser]

Hello there.

I got into my E34 last night to find that thieves has stolen my instrument panel (Amongst other things) If I were to buy a used panel and fitted it what would happen to the mileage record? Would the mileage come up from the car it had been taken from - would the mileage be zero? Does anyone know of any problems I might encounter - or is the car now an insurance write off and not worth fixing. I do hope not as it is a trusted friend I would hate to see the end of. Any help would be most appreciated.

thanks

Adam Koronka

P.S. If one of you out there is the person who broke into my car in Barnes west London then I hope you feel ashamed when you watch that 'Restore an MG' DVD you took form the back seat. And, the Police found finger prints so watch your step - sonny.
They must have been pretty nifty thieves as most people have to take the steering wheel off to get the dash out! Your mileage/km run is normally in a chip in the back of the unit so if you get a used one (from ebay for about £30 etc) it will show the mileage of whatever it came out of. Dont know anybody who is going to admit to being able to clock the chip for you. Cant see it being a write off unless there is other damage

[earthling]

Hello whisky chaser - it wasn't the whole dash - but the instrument cluster - they ruined loads of trim in the process. thanks for your help

A

[Ferret]

Hello whisky chaser - it wasn't the whole dash - but the instrument cluster - they ruined loads of trim in the process. thanks for your help

A

Jeeze, that's bad - you got a photo of the damage?

How did they get it? Did they knife off the top of the dash board?

I wonder what the heck they were upto unless your car had the red m-clocks? I have a hard time believing that was their original intent - it just doesnt make economical sense to nick something like that.

When you say instrument cluster do you mean the dash instrument cluster with the speedo/rev counter or the obc computer to the left of the stereo?

[repenttokyo]

this is the sketchiest story i have ever heard. if you want to know how to rollback the mileage on your odometer, you could just ask ;)

[earthling]

Hello there - no I am being genuine. I just wanted to know what milage would come up - I have no interest in clocking anything. BMWs are new to me and I just wanted to know what milage would come up

A




this is the sketchiest story i have ever heard. if you want to know how to rollback the mileage on your odometer, you could just ask ;)

[earthling]

No knife damage at all - I will take some snaps and post them up

Cheers

A

[earthling]

PS - it was the instrument cluster - I don't think my 520 has one of those computer thingys -

A

[Pang]

I second repenttokyo,very sketchy.

[632 Regal]

to answer your question, the mileage will be from whatever chip is in the cluster.


Hello there - no I am being genuine. I just wanted to know what milage would come up - I have no interest in clocking anything. BMWs are new to me and I just wanted to know what milage would come up

A

[uscharalph]

Where do you live? Sorry, your post mentions it.

[nirvana19]

Well, if people will tear the radio out of a 95 cavalier (worth $20-30?) and destroy the entire dashboard and steering column in the process, I suppose I could believe someone doing this. Its amazing how stupid some people can be, the cluster itself shouldn't be much to replace, (in the US at least) there are so many out there that you'll probably find one with similar mileage, it IS on a swappable chip or soldered in module. I could however see the trim becoming very costly to repair (depends on what it is of course), and I know E34s in England aren't worth much.

[earthling]

Thank you Nivana - no they are not worth much here - they will probably write the car off

Thanks again for your help

A




Well, if people will tear the radio out of a 95 cavalier (worth $20-30?) and destroy the entire dashboard and steering column in the process, I suppose I could believe someone doing this. Its amazing how stupid some people can be, the cluster itself shouldn't be much to replace, (in the US at least) there are so many out there that you'll probably find one with similar mileage, it IS on a swappable chip or soldered in module. I could however see the trim becoming very costly to repair (depends on what it is of course), and I know E34s in England aren't worth much.

[Ross]

The early (pre'90?)cars have the chip on the harness.

[leicesterboy15]

Thats a real shame, I hate thieving b*stards! Your best bet is ebay or the local scrapyard (can't imagine there is one in or near Barnes). There are loads of people breaking e34s on ebay, most of them genuine and some local as well. I can't imagine it would be much more than £50 for parts (top of dash and instrument cluster) and probably a day to fit if you are new to it but this also depends on your equipment levels, more kit = more electrics!

I drive over Barnes bridge on the way home everyday, maybe I might be able give you a few ideas if you're around one day or if you post some pics.

Maybe your best off not telling the insurance on this one? How did they get in by the way?

Sorry but I can't help you out with resetting the mileage.

[leicesterboy15]

Sorry I didn't mean over Barnes bridge, thats for trains! I meant under !

[whiskychaser]

Sorry I didn't mean over Barnes bridge, thats for trains! I meant under !
You been watching Dukes of Hazard again?:D

[earthling]

Thanks for the sympathy leicesterboy15 - the insurance people are picking it up tomorrow morning. I may well opt to do it myself though. If I do need any advice I might just give you a shout. The car started once charged (they had left the interior light on) so it does look more promising than yesterday.

Thanks again and all the best - and do be careful to get it right on that bridge

A

[leicesterboy15]

Yeah well I used to jump the bridge but temporary traffic lights put a stop to that one, and besides I didn't think it was doing the bushes any good, or my skull come to think of it.

Good luck with the insurers, did you say it is a 1990 520i? I am pretty certain they will write it off I'm sorry to say, even if it would only cost them a few quid to sort. Make sure you get a good payout (show recent receipts if you have to) and if you have the time / space / inclination you can buy it back off them for peanuts and break yourself or sell on as a whole for parts.

[Barney Paull-Edwards]

Hello there.

I got into my E34 last night to find that thieves has stolen my instrument panel (Amongst other things) If I were to buy a used panel and fitted it what would happen to the mileage record? Would the mileage come up from the car it had been taken from - would the mileage be zero? Does anyone know of any problems I might encounter - or is the car now an insurance write off and not worth fixing. I do hope not as it is a trusted friend I would hate to see the end of. Any help would be most appreciated.

thanks

Adam Koronka

P.S. If one of you out there is the person who broke into my car in Barnes west London then I hope you feel ashamed when you watch that 'Restore an MG' DVD you took form the back seat. And, the Police found finger prints so watch your step - sonny.
Adam, if you PM me, I have a complete binnacle from a 535, minus bulbs,yours for a bottle.

[Ross]

Adam, if you PM me, I have a complete binnacle from a 535, minus bulbs,yours for a bottle.
Two bottles for low mileage

[Ferret]

Two bottles for low mileage

Hot damn is this going to turn into a bottle bidding war :P

I need to rummage in my parts bin and auction stuff off quick :D

[infurno]

Im curious, how did they get in? BMW is probably the hardest car to get into.

AAA guys took an hour to open my car, and they had big books, manuals, diagrams, and a truck full of slim jims, and all sorts of tools.

Not to mention the deadlock feature is suppose to make it impossible to break into. (which mine does not have)

Did you leave the car unlocked? They took out a window?

[sammyg007]

Sorry to hear about that. I wish you the best of luck as you go about fixing car...

[earthling]

Thank you Sammy G and to all those who have offered suggestions. the car is with the insurers now - so lets hope they do their stuff

best wishes to all

Adam